Michael Cavanagh

1952 - 2006

Memorial Service was held on Friday, April 21, 2006 4:00 p.m. at North Shore United Methodist Church  located at 213 Hazel Avenue, Glencoe, IL.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house as some of Michael's family and friends shared stories, laughs and experiences they had during Michael's days here on earth.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cancer Wellness Center, 215 Revere Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062 or Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, 2050 Claire Ct, Glenview, IL. 60025.

...a Lion's courage, a Lion's heart, and a Lion of a Spirit

You will be missed, my friend!

I first ran into Mike on the rugby pitch when he played with Southern Illinois University and I with Illinois State University in 1975. Actually, he ran into me and flattened me. My respect for him started right then and there. SIU and ISU scheduled home/away matches each Spring and Fall, so we got to run into each other quite often back then, him more often into me. After his graduation from SIU in 1976, he joined the Chicago Lions. I only really got to know him once I became a member of the Black two years later in the Spring of 1979.  He played inside centre and I at wing for many, many matches joining ivory-man Harry Yaseen, his mate from SIU.  We then joined forces on the ice rink and played organized league ice hockey along with his brother-in-law, Tim Morgan on the Yellow Jackets for many years.  As age started to slow us down, diminish our hair lines and increase our waist size, we continued to play with the Grey Lions, both on the rugby pitch traveling to Aspen for many years, as he organized all of those efforts, and on the ice with the Lions Old Boys up at Skokie Skatium for over a decade.

I lived in Korea for two years back in 1991 to 1993 and while there I just happened to call the Lions Clubhouse one night after the Blackhawks made it into the NHL Stanley Cup Finals and who answered the phone but Mike, who was there with some mates celebrating the birth of his daughter, Grace. Grace and Karla were resting comfortably in the hospital and Mike's elation, glow and happiness was felt all the way in Seoul. Just listening to him exult in fatherhood was a precursor to my happiness with my two children. Pretty cool stuff.

Mike was diagnosed with Colon Cancer three years ago. He continued his battle with it after surgery removed quite a bit of his colon. But due to his courage, his heart and his spirit one would never have known what was actually going on in his body.

This past October I organized the 'Mike Cavanagh Appreciation Day' for us old boys to get together to play a match down in Lemont at the Blaze's pitch. I suggested to Mike that he come out and be our honorary captain, maybe take kicks at goal for us and convert all of our tries. Well, he didn't like the setup I had, said something about not liking all of the hullabaloo but he said he'd come out and hang out and have a couple of beers with us. Well, show up he did. At half time he snuck away into the bushes and as if it were a phone booth, donned the black jersey, shorts and socks and waited until my eye caught his. With about 20 minutes left in the match I came off and Mike came on. He knocked heads, tackled hard and generally was the Cavs of old. What a joy, what a sight! Incredible. Unbeknownst to all but Bob MacArthur, Mike confided with Bob and showed him his surgically implanted chest catheter. He told Bob that if this thing cracked or opened up and he started to bleed just be sure to pinch the plastic tube and then find the damn cap. Obviously he came away unscathed, we all adjourned to beers, food and stories and everyone left knowing they caught an unbelievable event knowing now the events of this week.

Mike was a doer, a mentor and a confidant. On the pitch he usually was the captain and was both a physical and cerebral force. The kind you'd like to have 15 of wearing your jersey.

I am only too honoured to have known ye...

My heart goes out to Karla, his wife, and Grace and Molly, his daughters, and all of his immediate family and to our extended Chicago Lions Family.

We all hurt with you but celebrate the time we had with Michael. May God Bless You!